Are those bikes that you sit down in horizontally easy to ride long distances?

Answers

People generally choose recumbent bikes because they’re more ergonomic and more aerodynamic. When you’re sitting back like in these bikes, your weight is distributed more evenly around your back and buttocks, not to mention you’re sitting in an actual chair rather than being perched on a traditional bike seat (those can get seriously uncomfortable).

So it stands to reason that the average person (no Lance Armstrongs) would find it easier to ride long distances on a recumbent bike.

I have done some distance riding (up to 100 miles) with a few people who opt for recumbents; I’ve been amazed at how they keep up. So, yes it is possible. I think many people choose that style of biking because of back pain–it is true, they are a more supportive model. I would argue though, as a pretty serious cyclist, that the core (“abs”) doesn’t engage fully like it can if you are on an upright and know how to use those muscles for uphill climbing.